CVS

It looks like full-scale war is on the way. Arguing that they could endanger patients, particularly children, some attendees at the AMA's annual conference are demanding the group ask for a ban on retail clinics. Unless the AMA intervenes, "in five years, the chairs [at the AMA] meeting will be filled with representatives from Walgreens, Wal-Mart" and other retailers, one physician told the assembly. At minimum, speakers told the …

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Another group of doctors is taking arms against a sea of retail clinics (though there's little hope that by opposing they'll end them). Illinois physicians are already lobbying for a new state law that would regulate retail clinic operations, ostensibly to protect the public, though it would be silly to suggest they weren't concerned about competition as well. Now, working with …

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Retail clinics: Accepting the inevitable
Retail clinics have gone from an interesting idea to an exploding healthcare industry sector in an amazingly short time. With …

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National pharmacy chain Walgreen Co. has agreed to acquire retail clinic operator and partner Take Care Health Systems. The deal positions Walgreen to compete better with CVS/Caremark, which previously acquired retail clinic operator MinuteClinic. Take Care, which operates 50 clinics across the U.S., already runs some clinics at Walgreens locations. Walgreens will use the acquisition to power its upcoming retail clinic expansion. The chain plans to have more than 400 "Health Corner …

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Illinois-based retail clinics may soon find that there are a new set of eyes looking over their shoulder. Retail clinics, which are popping up in Wal-Marts, Walgreen's and CVS/Caremark pharmacies,... Read more...

> CVS has asked Massachusetts officials for approval to open 20 to 30 MinuteClinic retail clinic outlets. The CVS clinics would be the first retail clinics to open in the state. Article

> Mental health parity advocates are working the Hill this week, lobbying for passage of measures setting insurance coverage of mental illness on the same footing as other diseases. …

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> After several months of wrangling over a counter-offer from Express Scripts, CVS shareholders have agreed to merge with Caremark Rx. Article

> A new report by the California HealthCare Foundation suggests that racial, cultural and ethnic factors often dictate what kind of end-of-life care California patients receive. …

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Two suspended executives of CVS were indicted Thursday on federal charges of fraud and bribery of a former Rhode Island state legislator, raising questions about whether the pharmacy chain will be able to complete its planned--and contested--acquisition of pharmacy-benefits manager Caremark Rx. CVS Senior Vice President John R. Kramer and Carlos Ortiz, the company's government affairs chief, face a 23-count federal indictment for allegedly paying bribes disguised as consulting fees to …

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In the newest attack in the increasingly ugly battle for control of Caremark Rx, rival PBM Express Scripts--currently the spurned suitor--called a dividend offer from drugstore chain CVS a "desperate attempt to save a flawed transaction.". Following yesterday's offer by Express Scripts to take over Caremark, valued at $24.8 billion to $25 billion, depending on whose numbers you believe, CVS sweetened its bid by offering a special cash dividend of $2 per share to Caremark shareholders, …

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Express Scripts is moving ahead with its $25 billion plan to take over rival PBM  Caremark Rx, announcing Tuesday that it has begun offering cash and shares to Caremark shareholders, despite being rebuffed by the Caremark board last week. That move follows a lawsuit by a large institutional investor that charges Caremark insiders with putting personal enrichment ahead of shareholder value. In a suit filed last month but not reported until Friday, the Louisiana Municipal Police …

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